10. Bamboo diversity in India

India is the second richest country in bamboo genetic resources after China. These two countries together have more than half the total bamboo resources globally. Sharma (1987) reported 136 species of bamboos occurring in India. Fifty-eight species of bamboo belonging to 10 genera are distributed in the northeastern states alone.

The forest area, over which bamboos occur in India, on a conservative estimate, is 9.57 million hectares, which constitutes about 12.8% of the total area under forests (Bahadur and Verma 1980). Out of the 22 genera in India, 19 are indigenous and three exotic. The annual production of bamboo in India is about 4.6 million tonnes; about 1.9 million tonnes is used by the pulp industries. The annual yield of bamboo per hectare varies between 0.2 and 0.4 tonnes with an average of 0.33 tonnes per hectare, depending upon the intensity of stocking and biotic interferences. The economic impact of the agroforestry-based bamboo system may influence general economic development considerably. On average, 250 air-dried culms weigh one tonne and the price per tonne of dry bamboo is Rs 1000 (auction rate) (about US$ 22).

10.1. Need for collection and conservation of germplasm

With the increasing population pressure, natural stands of bamboo are being indiscriminately cut for fuelwood and furniture. The common practice of ‘jhum’ (a form of shifting cultivation) cultivation in the northeastern states has resulted in genetic erosion of several bamboo species; overexploitation of some species for fuelwood and for the cottage industry has endangered others. Since natural variation is the genetic resource base required for selection and improvement, conservation of available genetic resource needs to be accorded the highest priority (Rao and Ramanatha Rao 2000). Efforts have been taken by the NBPGR, New Delhi and its stations in Trichur, Shillong and Ranchi, ICFRE and ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) to collect and build up genetic diversity of bamboo for evaluation and maintenance.

10.2. Strategies for conservation

Large areas where bamboos occur have been declared as National Bamboo Reserve areas and provenances in the natural habitats are being maintained. Considering the limitation in seed supply, vegetative methods for ex situ conservation and tissue culture work have been started in Asian countries. The excellent work on bamboo micropropagation by Mehta et al. (1982) in Delhi University using seeds of Bambusa arundinacea resulted in callus, which differentiated into many embryiods. These regenerated into plantlets in vitro. This has laid the foundation for bamboo micropropagation and in vitro conservation, as it is a quick method with high multiplication rate. ICFRE has perfected the macropropagation techniques for bamboo and transferred them to users for mass multiplication. The Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) at Kerala has established a Bamboo Information Centre (BIC) for disseminating all relevant information on 137 species Indian bamboo. State-wise growing stock, area and distribution of bamboo are given in Tables 10, 11 and 12.

ICFRE has taken up the systematic research on bamboo under its various research institutes at different agroecological regions of the country. The work is coordinated by the Chief Technical Adviser with the main objective to work on quick-growing annual, biennial and perennial bamboos suitable for the cottage and paper industries.

Bamboos are aptly called the poor man’s timber and are found in great abundance. Their strength, straightness and lightness combined with extraordinary hardness, range in sizes, abundance, easy propagation and the short period in which they attain maturity make them suitable for a variety of purposes. The diversity of this fascinating plant has to be conserved, not just for financial reasons, but also more importantly in the revitalization of traditional sciences and technologies.